Australia Mtgs. Industry Plans Global Gala For 2001
<B> Australia Mtgs. Industry Plans Global Gala For 2001</B>
By Judy Jacobs
The year 2001 is the hundredth anniversary of Australian federation, when six colonies came together to form a new nation. It is also the year that the country expects to substantially increase its international business travel arrivals.
The Australian Federal government has launched an A$5 million, five-year campaign, known as Australia 2001, to lure more international business travelers and meeting groups to Australia in 2001 and beyond. This campaign is being developed by the Australian Tourist Commission, in collaboration with the country's meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition industry.
This spring a direct marketing campaign targeted 3,000 companies and associations in Australia, inviting them to take part in the program. The goal is to get about 400 companies to each invite 50 or more of their international associates to Australia in 2001. The end result, it is hoped, will be more than 20,000 additional business travelers, spending 270,000 days in the country and contributing more than A$500 each per day, or a total of A$100 million, to the economy.
The campaign is expected to keep the momentum of the 2000 Sydney Olympics going. "If Atlanta's experience is anything to go by, Australia's reputation as a global center for business, sporting events and conventions will be considerably enhanced by the 2000 Olympics," said John Morse, managing director of the Australian Tourist Commission.
The convention and conference markets will be a primary focus of Australia's efforts. Recent figures from the International Congress and Convention Association showed that Australia ranked fifth in the world in 1996 in terms of the number of international meetings held per country, after moving up rapidly from ninth place in 1995.
"There is great potential for us to increase our share of this highly profitable business," Morse said.
The Australian Tourist Commission has published a brochure on the campaign, titled "Meet the Millennium, New Century New World, Australia 2001."
The next step is a road show that will travel around Australia and to various events throughout the world to drum up interest in inbound business travel in the year 2001 and beyond.